Improvement in combined step-covee and wheel-fender for carriages



J W. G-QSLING.

CarriageFender.

No. 62,406. Patented Feb. 26, 1867.

Inventor,

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JOHN W. GOSLING, OF GlNGINNATL-OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 62,406, dated February 26, 1867.

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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, Join: W. GOSLING, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Combined Step-Cover and Wheel-Fender for Carriages; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and, exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification. a

This invention relates to a cheap and simple device for preventing the accumulation of mud and dust onthe steps of carriages, 820., and also for guarding the clothes of the rider from coming in contact with the wheels on entering or leaving the vehicle. In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 shows the position of my fender when the carriage door is open; and

Figure 2 represents it when the door is closed.

A. represents the body of a carriage, B the rear wheel, 0 the door, and D the step. E is a yielding plate, which may be made of sheet steel or other suitable material, and the upper end of said plate is hinged or otherwiscsecured to the door 0, whilst its lower end is connected to a bar, H, having an eye, it, which engages with a suitable aperture in the flange d of the stepl This provision of the perforated flange (Z and eye it enables the plate E to turn in either direction, as the door 0 is opened or closed. The flexibility of the plate E enables it to bend up in the act of opening or closing the door, (see dotted lines in fig. 1,) and its elasticity enables it to hold the door firmly in either the closed or wide open position. When the door C is shut, the plate E closes up over the step D, and this prevents the wheels from throwing dirt upon said step, as clearly shown in fig. 2, but as soon as the door is opened the plate E turns on the pivot device 11 h at its lower end, thus uncovering the step and serving as a fender to prevent the occupants clothes from coming in contact with the hind wheel of the carriage, as represented in fig. 1. The yielding plate E acts as a spring to hold the door either open or shut, and also prevents said door from striking against the wheclwhen opened. The said plate E may be covered with leather or painted, or may consist wholly of leather. I have selected for illustration the preferred form of my invention, but reserve the right to vary the same, it being susceptible of various modifications; for example, instead of being pivoted to the step D, the lower end of the plate E may be hinged or otherwise coupled to a frame projecting from the carriage body and passing under the step. In some cases, for example, when the distance from the wheel to the body is short, I provide slots on both step and fender, or one of them, to partially or wholly relieve the plate of the fiexion incident to opening or closing the door.

I claim herein as new, and of my invention- A combined step-cover and wheel-fender for carriages, consisting of the flexible plate E whose upper end is attached to the carriage door, and whose lower end is connected, d h, to the step or other fixed object, the whole being arranged to operate substantially as herein described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN W. GOSLING.

Witnesses:

G120. H. KNIGHT, James H. LAYMAN. 

